Every morning starts the same – coffee brewing, prayer and Bible reading. Somedays little distractions shorten the time frame but that has been my morning meditation for years. Never routine – always a blessing.
Here we are just a few days before Thanksgiving and other than the grocery store commercials not a lot is being said about this day that was set aside for giving thanks.
Our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness.
God has been gracious and kind. There may have been disappointments and even heart aches in the last year, but God remains faithful and trustworthy.
He continues to bring blessings and benefits into our lives.
” Do not be misled, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of lights [the Creator and Sustainer of the heavens], in whom there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes]. 18 It was of His own will that He gave us birth [as His children] by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures [a prime example of what He created to be set apart to Himself—sanctified, made holy for His divine purposes].
19 Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]; ” James 1:16-19 AMP
He is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and He does not change. We need to listen more and murmur less. This will definitely bring us closer to thankful hearts.
Maybe you are a bit apprehensive about the Thanksgiving gathering. Different people with different opinions. Different customs, different football teams (that’s a big one for some).
Invite the One who never changes, there is no variation [no rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [for He is perfect and never changes], Let Him lead the conversation. Seek those who are hurting – listen instead of speaking. Be a quick listener and a slow speaker.
Listen to the elderly and listen to the littles. Their world is so different from the one we were raised in. They need our prayers and our words of wisdom. They need our unconditional love.
“We praise you, Lord God! You treat us with kindness day after day, and you rescue us. 20 You always protect us and save us from death.” Psalm 68:19-20 CEV
One translation of this verse says ” Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.”
Daily, He loads us up with benefits…Selah (stop and think).
When I read this verse, I think of being in Montana where each morning I had my arms loaded up with firewood. Firewood is an essential in some parts of the world. Without fire there’s no cooking, heat, purifying of water and there is no fire without firewood. It’s lifesaving and although it may seem like drudgery, those who depend on the wood, carry it gladly.
In the verse above says that He daily loads us up with benefits. Never tire of holding out your arms to be loaded up with benefits that come from the Father.
Let God use you to bring life-warming benefits to others!